A brand new, reimagined and highly personalized shopping experience; a fresh approach to our iconic brand; fast and guaranteed shipping time; buying with a “shopping concierge” right within your social networks -- these are the hallmarks of the changes you will now begin to see on eBay.
For the past 18 months, we’ve been working on an ambitious replatforming of eBay by leveraging new technology to redefine what online shopping means today.
This includes the work we’ve done on our mobile platform, building product catalogs on structured data, launching new browse-inspired shopping journeys and innovating with emerging technologies. While this multi-year evolution of our shopping platforms will continue and we have a lot more work to do, these behind-the-scenes changes are now starting to become tangible, visible and meaningful to you -- our buyers and sellers.
eBay is changing, and you will see and experience us in a new light.
Guaranteed Shipping in 3 Days or Less
When you buy an item on eBay, we want you to be confident that it will arrive fast, and on time. This summer we are rolling out a new feature in the United States that will guarantee delivery in 3 days or less on 20 million items on eBay, millions of which will ship free. You will be able to search and filter for items by 1- and 2-day delivery time.
We know over 40 percent of online shoppers don’t complete their purchases due to longer than expected shipping times, so we’re also making it easier for consumers to avoid friction through our Guaranteed Delivery program. Online commerce has matured in the last few years to the point where consumers expect fast and free shipping in defined delivery windows.
Already, 63 percent of eBay packages are delivered within three days or less. Now, shoppers on eBay will be able to find these items more easily, including ones that arrive within one to two days. And, if an item doesn’t arrive by the stated delivery date, eBay will make it right.
A Refreshed, Sharp Brand
As we continue to evolve eBay’s platform, we’re also activating a sharper, more clearly differentiated brand that is globally consistent and relevant and showcases our vibrancy.
People shop on eBay to express themselves and find incredible value across the vast spectrum of inventory. As we go to market with an updated eBay brand, we’ll also address---and correct---misperceptions and state clearly the eBay we’re building for the future.
You’ll start to see the eBay brand across multiple communications channels -- TV, social, outdoors -- and regions worldwide to illustrate clearly why you should consider eBay.
A Discovery-Based New Homepage
We’re also rolling out a new homepage that is powered by the replatforming work we’ve been doing.
Using structured data -- a transformative step to drive discoverability of our vast inventory, insights into supply and demand, pricing trends, among other things -- and artificial intelligence, we’re creating a shopping experience that is tailored to each eBay user’s interests, passions and shopping history. With more than one billion items from new, to nearly new to vintage, we’re making shopping on eBay all about you, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.
You will see a simpler, more personal and discovery-based buying experience with highly tailored choices and unique selection, helping you find your version of perfect, no matter what it is.
A Personal Shopping Concierge
As online behavior among consumers rapidly changes, we’re also building capabilities to meet consumers where they spend the vast majority of their time, including within social networks. We launched eBay ShopBot, an AI-powered personal shopping concierge on Facebook Messenger that helps people find the best deals from eBay’s one billion listings by just chatting with it. Whether you are looking for something specific or just browsing for inspiration, eBay ShopBot will make shopping as easy as talking to your friend.
And conversational commerce – as we call it – is not the only area where we will continue to experiment. We’re focusing on the areas that I believe will define the next wave of ecommerce – artificial intelligence and machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, and Internet of Things. These are significant platform shifts ---not just new features and gadgets.
We’re making steady progress in our journey of changing eBay. We’re moving forward with a bold vision for commerce, an intense focus on execution and a passion to delight our customers.
We’ve still got a lot of work ahead of us before we realize the full potential of this amazing company, but the changes will become more and more visible to you. We aim to inspire and delight you, and make eBay an essential place for people to shop and sell.